SPRINGFIELD, La. – The Lipscomb Bisons golf team is heading to Louisiana, but birdies will be on their minds more than gators and gumbo.

The Bisons are coming off a fourth place finish last week in the Grover Page Classic in Jackson, Tenn. They will be seeking a higher finish at the ninth annual Carter Plantation Intercollegiate hosted by Southeastern Louisiana.

The 54-hole tournament starts Monday with two rounds followed by the final 18 on Tuesday. The course is par 72, 7,104 yards. It is the home course for Southeastern Louisiana from the Southland Conference and is considered to be one of the best courses in the United States.

Teams were scheduled for practice rounds Sunday.

“We are doing what we need to do two-thirds of the time,” said Will Brewer, Lipscomb’s director of golf. “It is a mental game.

“I think our ball striking is getting better. We still need to putt a little better. We still need to think and process things a little better.”

The Bisons were in the hunt for first place in the Grover Page Classic. But the final four holes dropped them to fourth.

“They are not used to being in a position to win,” Brewer said. “Until you do it, you don’t totally believe you can do it. Had we finished strong at Grover Page we would have won it.

“That is what I am trying to get them to think about. It is 54 holes. It is not 48, 50 or 51. The team that plays the best for 54 holes is going to be at or near the top.”

Blanton Farmer, Dustin Wilder, Paul Kleine-Kracht and Ryan Terry are the four players Brewer is counting on the most as they continue to improve their games.

“Blanton is playing well,” Brewer said. “Dustin and Paul are starting to play better. Ryan is coming into his own as a player.

“We are very close. It is a matter of can we put it all together for three rounds of competition. I think we can.”